In the Republic of Ireland, direct charging for household waste and recycling has had a positive impact (see 'Weighing up the options' in Circular March/April 2019). It is aimed at incentivising environmentally friendly behaviour by encouraging householders to reduce and separate their waste -with the cost implications of waste-disposal decisions seemingly focusing the minds of householders and changing behaviours. The 'carrot and stick' approach does have the benefit of establishing a more receptive audience for waste communications, albeit one that may resent what is perceived as an enforcement strategy. Marshall, from Larac, says: 'Larac has called for more research on -and consideration of - direct charging for all household waste and recycling in the UK. Implementation in other countries has shown it can bring about large step changes in behaviour. It would not be without its challenges - and it needs a lot more targeted work - but we have the means to make it work.' In the Swedish city of Eskilstuna, zero waste goes to landfill, with residents asked to sort their waste into seven categories, using colour-coded bags that are then sorted at a recycling plant. Food waste is used for the production of biogas, while non-recyclable material is incinerated in an energy from waste plant. Almost all the local residents have signed up for the scheme - but it requires commitment from householders as much as clear communication via colour-coded bags. 'We want to recycle many more materials than we do today,' Mattias Hellstrom, from Eskilstuna Energy and Environment told the BBC, 'and we'd like to change people's behaviour to do that'.
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